Faux Pas

Chapter Eight

The Institute was busy with the students finishing their after school training with Logan, which the kids tried to get out of as Bridgette was teaching them self defense in gym class. Obviously Logan wasn't swayed and they were sent through their obstacle course anyway. Bruce had busied himself with schoolwork and Ricochet was immensely grateful that she wasn't pinned teaching a subject that required proper paperwork. At least there was a class where she could properly excel. Her cover would be blown so easily if she had to teach a subject that followed a rigid schedule.

Changing out of the Bayville High School sweats she wore as her teaching uniform, she was quick to change into jeans, a tank top, and she grabbed a jacket, all rather darkly colored. The door opened to reveal Bruce and she was able to quickly tug the hood off so to look less suspicious. He raised a brow and she gave a grin.

"What are you up to?" he asked, taking note of her clothing color scheme. "You look like you're going to cause trouble."

"Oh I'm always causing trouble," she returned. When his concerned expression didn't waver, she sighed and recited her prepared story. "There's still daylight left and I feel like going for a walk, a little bit of window shopping."

"You're going out by yourself?" he asked, concerned. "Do you really think that's a good idea?"

She strolled up to the doctor and gave his arm a reassuring pat. "Thanks, doc, but I'm a big strong girl. I'll be fine. Look," she flipped the hood up over her head, "completely ambiguous. Nobody will know."

She made to move past him but his arm reached out and gently snagged her at the waist, bringing her to a halt. Confused, she looked back up at him as he removed his glasses with his free hand, her hood slipping down once again.

"Maybe...maybe I should go with you. Safety in numbers and all of that," he reasoned. "Just in case." Bridgette gave a soft smile at the offer. She knew very well that he would be far more comfortable in the quiet room looking over the science work, even if it was a high school level of his area of study. He didn't care for the noise and bustle of the busy public. Although window shopping was usually their activity together when they would try social outings back home. It was a simple and enjoyable past time for them.

"It's all right, Bruce. I just want to get out and stretch for a bit. I'll be back before you've noticed I've even left," she promised. He still seemed hesitant and she had the vague sense that he was recalling the last time she left on her own she was ambushed by Hydra agents. Perhaps she didn't have the best record to justify wandering off on her own.

"I've got your number on speed dial, and if something does happens, I've got a hell of a scream. So either way you'll hear from me," she added with a grin. His chuckle could be heard and he finally lowered his arm and her path was clear. She gave his chest a soft pat before continuing on her way.

"I promise, I'll be right back."

She closed the door softly behind her before making her way down the hall. It was when she reached the second floor when the strangest thought popped into her head.

If you could stop by my office, Miss Smith.

Bridgette came to a full stop before starting the next flight of stairs. Brows furrowed, she glanced around only to be completely alone. Maybe she had imagined it? Shrugging, she moved to take the next step.

My office, please, Miss Smith.

She brought her foot back from the stairs and turned entirely around to still be alone. Was she hearing things?

It's the first door on your left.

Curiosity won over concern and she gingerly stepped toward the aforementioned door. Reaching out with her left hand, she quickly opened it while making a fist with the other, just in case. When she wasn't greeted with an immediate threat, she carefully stepped inside and the door closed behind her on its own.

Charles Xavier was seated behind his large formal desk, his hands forming a steeple neatly as he greeted her with a slight nod.

"Thank you for stopping by, Miss Smith," he said.

"Bridgette," she corrected automatically. "Was that you talking in my head?"

"Yes. Telepathy is one of my mutant abilities," he explained with a slight smile, "as well as the most efficient way to summon you."

"Summon me? What for?" she asked, confused. Quirking an eyebrow, she added, "Am I in trouble? Because it feels like I'm in the principal's office."

He gave a chuckle at her comparison. "Not exactly, Miss Smith-"

"Bridgette," she corrected again. "There's no need to call me "Miss Smith", professor."

"Bridgette," he obliged, "I simply wanted to discuss where you were going. It's almost dark."

"Out for a walk," she answered easily. The professor continued to study her with an expression that clearly stated that he didn't believe her. The moment of silence continued and it felt as if he wasn't just staring at her but looking through her. Not to mention there was the strangest sensation, like the tickle of an itch at the back of her mind. Logan's words then surfaced from the other day.

"...but that doesn't keep Professor Xavier from finding out. He can read minds..."

"Are you in my head?" Bridgette asked outright, concerned. The look of intensity lessened and the tickle in her mind faded along with it. "What's in my head isn't your business," she snapped.

"I'm afraid it is, as your presence here runs the chance of affecting those under my care," he told her seriously. "I'm telling you right now that revenge isn't the answer."

Bridgette looked at him incredulously. "Revenge? Who said anything about revenge?"

"You're going to visit General Ross, are you not?" he asked. So he was searching around in her head, she noted with a scowl.

"I'm not going after him for revenge," she informed Xavier. "I'm simply going to tell him to knock it off and leave us alone."

"And you believe this is the best way of confronting him?" he asked. Bridgette gave a shrug in response.

"It's the most straightforward. There's no point in beating around the bush and besides, I prefer a direct method of communicating. I'm not exactly delicate, in case you haven't noticed."

Xavier gave a wave of his hand and the door opened due to his ability. "Please be careful, Bridgette."

"You've got it," she said, giving a wave as she left the room.

When the door closed in her wake, the Institute headmaster picked up the phone and dialed a few well chosen numbers.

"Director Fury, this is Charles Xavier...no, nothing has happened. I simply wanted to inform you of the potential trouble..."

The base was dimly lit as most of the staff had gone home for the night, leaving the evening crew to quietly work. General Ross was going to return to his office and collect his belongings before heading home himself. They had received more footage of Erskine and Banner together, implying that they were more than simply teammates or acquaintances. He unlocked his door and stepped into his office, closing the door behind him. He didn't bother to turn on the lights, his things were close by and the early evening light through the windows was enough to get around by.

"Nice place you've got here."

Hand going straight for the gun at his hip, the General flipped the light on. The florescent light flooded the room and he could clearly see the figure of Bridgette Erskine sitting comfortably in his chair, her feet propped up his desk. She was dressed in dark civilian clothes with the hood pulled up, her russet hair noticeable. Blue eyes glinted as she gave a smirk.

"It's been awhile, Ross. You never write to me or anything," she snarked. "It makes me feel like you don't care, and here I thought we had something special."

Miffed by her mocking tone, the General stood up straighter and dared to approach her. "It was a mistake coming here, Erskine-"

"It was a mistake for you to follow us," she interrupted sharply. She noticed his grip tighten on his gun and she shrugged. "Shoot me if you want but it'll just cause a racket, and I'm sure you know it's pointless."

She noticed the twitch in his jaw as he kept his teeth locked together and he slowly released his weapon. Bridgette found a letter opener on his desk in the shape of a small sword and began to twirl it between her fingers to keep herself entertained. She could hear him take a deep agitated breath, signaling his dislike for not being perceived as a threat.

"You may be bullet proof but you can be damaged," he informed her, unable to keep the superior edge from his voice. She glanced up from the letter opened without a flicker of interest.

"You think so?" she humored. "It's not like you to make stuff up, Ross. I think your age is catching up with you. Have you considered retirement? I hear Florida is nice this time of year."

Frustrated, he marched right up to the desk and yanked a file out from under her feet that were still propped on the surface, the soles of her shoes dirty. He flipped the file open and started to sift through the paperwork to find the images as she continued to twirl the letter opener, nonplussed. His brow knitted together as he started to search through it for a second time.

"...or maybe you would prefer to travel? It certainly wouldn't break my heart if you moved out of the country," she continued, now tossing the small sword and catching it.

"You were hurt," he muttered. "Your arm was bleeding..."

"Really?" she asked, as if that was the first time she had heard the news. "What arm was bleeding?"

Ross ignored her and snatched her left wrist and held it out. He shoved the sleeve of her hoodie up only to reveal a completely damage free arm. She wiggled her fingers in a wave as he continued to stare, his gaze broken when she pulled out of his grip.

"Seriously, you ought to consider a vacation. Obsessing over the super soldier programs, stalking us regular teacher folk via your own daughter, and now you're imagining things. Shouldn't this show up in a psych evaluation of some sort? Or is that not a standard procedure anymore?" rambled Bridgette.

General Ross reached across his desk and grabbed the girl by the collar, his fists against her throat as he lifted her from his chair. Her hood fell back but she didn't look remotely frightened by his brash action.

"Shut up! I know you had something to do with this," he swore. "It doesn't matter, by all rights you belong-"

Blue eyes turned steely as she reversed their situation in the blink of an eye. She used her enhanced strength and slammed the General against the top of his own desk. Hopping on top of him, her knees tight on either side of his rib cage and this time his collar was twisted in her hand while the other held the letter opener against his neck. It wasn't sharp and the end wasn't pointed, but in her hands, it could be just as effective as any weapon.

"I don't belong to anyone," she snarled, bringing her face close to his own. "And here we are again, General. Your memory must really be failing you these days." Ross tried to push back but she kept him pinned despite their size difference. She could feel him breathing hard from exertion and from her controlled grip, his face flushed. It wouldn't take much to snap his neck, a small voice in the back of her mind told her. She took a deep breath and kept her hand where it was, not pushing harder or forcing the small sword forward.

"So, what's your play, General?" she asked. "Were you hoping to get lucky when you found out we were in the area? Two super soldier rejects in one cozy spot? You really ought to consider taking us to dinner first."

"You're different from before," he said.

"I've gained weight."

"You talk a lot more," he pointed out, "and you haven't killed me yet."

"You think I'm here to kill you?" she asked with an interested brow raised. "Apparently something about me just screams 'murder' tonight. Must be the dark colors I'm wearing. I'm usually a blue kind of girl. Brings out my eyes." He tried to shift his position again but she stilled him once more. Just because she was different from the person he tracked down those years ago didn't mean that she would allow him any wiggling room. She knew that he would strike her the instant he had a chance. Not that it would do him any good.

"So here's what going to happen, Ross ol' buddy ol' pal," she decided. "You're going to call off your creepy guys in bushes. You're going to give up this crazy obsession with myself, Bruce Banner, and any other strange person you encounter because, seriously, you need help. And a healthy hobby, like crossword puzzles or something. Use up a couple of vacation days and take a holiday. Visit your daughter, do dad things, I don't know. Maybe get your head checked while you're at it."

"And if I don't?" he growled. His refusal to her suggestions was obvious, she could feel the hatred he harbored for her practically coming off him in waves. He spent a large portion of his time and effort trying to track her down, create his own super soldier in the process, and then trying to take down the Hulk result. She was the closest thing he could get his hands on that was relevant to the Captain America serum. Even if he could contain her, he wouldn't be able to pry the formula from her due to her own imperturbable glitch of armor like skin.

"If you don't?" she repeated.

She brought the letter opener over head and slammed it down with enough force to rattle the items on the desk. Ross tentatively opened his eyes, having felt the wind from the attack's velocity as she drove the small sword into the desk's surface, not even an inch from his temple. She leaned in close, taking note of the sweat that had beaded across his brow as their encounter went on. Giving a devious grin, she whispered,

"It's better that you do."

She gave his cheek a sharp pat before hopping off his desk and making her way over to the window he hadn't noticed was open. Clicking her heels together, she gave a sarcastic faux salute before propping her foot on the ledge and jumping out of sight.

Ross got up from his desk, shaking from the encounter and his own rising rage at being made a fool again by the same insolent girl. It was more clear than before that he wasn't going to be able to obtain Erskine or Hulk on his own. He ripped open that day's file and glared at the image that had captured the two Avengers sharing a quick kiss within the school. His white mustache gave a twitch as a crooked smile tugged at his mouth.

Fine. If he couldn't have them then he would have them take each other out.

When she was a fair distance from the military base and still evading the assigned tails she had spotted, she took her phone out and dialed. As the phone rang, she reached down into her bra and pulled out the folded pictures from the file she had swiped before Ross had returned to his office.

"Yeah, put me through to Fury...It's just for a quick second, Robinson, geez..." She huffed as she was put on hold for another moment. The photos had captured the moment when she had connected with Logan's claws, splitting open her supposedly damage resistant skin. It had exposed her apparent weakness as well as Wolverine's mutant abilities.

"Hey, I got the pictures from Ross...Yeah, cleared the computer records too...No, I didn't hurt him! What is with everyone today...The rest is up to you then, all your official paperwork bogus..."

It hardly took her any time to find herself walking up the Institute's pathway. There was light spilling onto the lawn and she could see into the dining room where a handful of kids were gathered around Bruce, their school work scattered about. Bridgette couldn't help but smile at the sight, her chest growing warm. They really did have a good thing going for them.

As if sensing her, Bruce looked out the window and gave a short wave upon seeing her. Grinning broadly, she returned the wave and jogged the rest of the way so to join him inside.

REVIEW! Whew, another one down! I hoping to wrap this up in a timely manner and preferably on chapter 11 just so it matches with the other two (it'll be all neat and orderly (swoon)). So Bridgette ruffles a few unfavorable feathers while also getting work done. Too bad General Ross doesn't give up all that easily...

(Can't wait for the big action scenes! And some little fluff beforehand if you guys would like?)

Your thoughts are always loved and I hope you enjoyed!